Car-coupling



(No Model?) 11W; BRDE.

GAR PLING. No. 507,861. Patented'oct. 31, 1893.

1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK W. VOERDE, OF QUINCY, ILLINOIS.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 507,861, dated October 31, 1893. Application filed May 8, 1891. Serial No. 392,034. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK W. VOERDE, acl tizem of the United States, residing at Quincy, 1n the county of Adams and State of Ill1no1s, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oar-Couplers; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, wh ch will enable others skilled in the art to wh1ch it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawlngs, forming a part hereof, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation showing two draw heads, provided each with a trip arm or trigger for holding the coupling link horizontal, and carrying the coupling pin when raised. Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal section through the draw heads of Fig. 1, with the coupling made, Fig.1 showing the parts In positlon to make the coupling. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the trip arm or trigger, for holding the coupling link horizontal.-

The coupling of cars with the old style of coupling link and pins is attended with more or less danger to the operator in making the coupling, and various attempts have been made to render the coupling of cars automatic and thereby avoid the danger attend- Ing such operation with the old style couplers; and this invention relates to that class of car couplers which are termed automatic In that the coupling pin is dropped without asslstance from the operator; and has for its objects the retaining of the coupling link in a horizontal position without assistance from the operator and the automatic dropping of the coupling pin to complete the coupling; and Its nature consists in providing a pivoted trip arm or trigger supporting the coupling pin and operating by the contact of the link to drop the pin into position; in providing a trlp arm or trigger operating to hold the coupling link horizontal, which forms a rest for holding the link in its horizontal position; and in the several parts and combinations of parts hereinafter described and pointed out in the claim as new.

In the drawings, A represents the draw head, having an opening A, for the entrance to, or formed with, a draw bar, as usual, and as shown, the draw head, on its upper or top face, has a flange or wall a, which forms a backing or support for the arm or trigger of the coupling pin.

B is the trip arm or trigger, having an end I), to be engaged by the end of the link, and an upper portion 1), which receives the coupling pin, and this trigger is pivoted in the top of the draw head by a suitable pin or pivot b, so that its contact end b, lies within the opening in the draw head in line with the link, in position to be struck by the link, and

face 0 to abut against the end of the coupling link. when the link is inserted, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and hold the link in a horizontal position, as shown in Fig. 2, to make a coupling.

D is aslot through the top of the draw head, and extending down into the opening A for the link, in which slot is pivoted the arm or trigger B, so that such trigger can move forward and back, and as shown, this slotD has its upper portion formed between side walls or flanges d on the top of the draw head, through which flanges and the arm or trigger, the pin or pivot b" passes. a

E is the plain or ordinary coupling pin operated by the arm or trigger B, having the head 0, and this pin, when in its elevated position, stands inclined, as shown in Fig. 1, and is held by its lower end engaging a recess 6, formedby cutting out the wall of the draw head, and when dropped, this pin E passes through the coupling link, and its lower end enters a hole D in the bottom of the draw head, as usual.

of the coupling link, as usual, and attached 5o H is a coupling link, of the ordinary co nstruction.

The trip arm or trigger B is pivoted in the slot or opening D of each draw head A, by the pin or pivot 12 to have its upper end b above the draw head, to receive and support in an inclined position the coupling pin E, and have the end I) in the opening A, and the head 0 to be within the draw head for the end facec to engage the end of the link H, when the end of such link is in the opening A, and the pin is dropped, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and each slot D has the trip armor trigger Bpivoted therein to leave an opening or hole in front of the arm or trigger for the passage of the coupling pin E, and when the arm or trigger B is pivoted in position in each draw head, the coupler is ready for use.

In use, the brakeman or other person making the coupling withdraws the coupling pin E from the standing one of the two cars to be coupled, and sets such pin in an inclined position, with its lower end resting on the wall e, and its upper end bearing against and held by the trip arm or trigger B, and in this position the coupling pin acts to force the upper end of the trip arm or trigger back by which the lower end of the arm or trigger B is projected forward, so that by entering the end of the coupling link H into the opening A, such link will engage the lower end I) of the arm or trigger B, and carry such end rearward, throwing the upper portion 12 of the arm or trigger B forward, and dropping the pin E through the opening or slot D, forward of the end of the coupling link. The draw head of the moving car to be coupled has the coupling link and pin left therein, with the trip arm or trigger B held in position by the coupling pin, for the end face 0 of the head 0 to rest on or bear against the end of the coupling link, and holds such link in a horizontal position, as shown in Fig. 1, on the right hand side. The two cars are then ready to make the coupling, which is automatically made by the entering of the coupling link, carried horizontally by the moving car into the opening A of the draw head of the stand ing car, as the two cars come together, for the end of the coupling link to strike or engage the end I) of the trip arm or trigger B of the standing car, as such link enters the opening A, and such engagement of the end I) by the end of the link carries such end backward and advances the upper portion b of the trigger, raising the coupling pin E to a vertical position to drop and pass through the coupling link, and have its lower end enter the hole E, thus completing the coupling.

The coupler is automatic. The link I-I when inserted in a. draw head having an arm B, with a head 0, will be held in a horizontal position by the engagement of its end with the face 0 of the head 0, and such link held in a horizontal position, will enter the companion draw head, having the coupling pin withdrawn and set inclined, as the two cars come together, for the end of the coupling link to strike the end I), and move the arm or trigger B, to drop the coupling pinE of such draw head automatically, and the withdrawn coupling pin will be dropped automatically from the engagement of the link 11 with the trigger B of such pin E, by the advance of the upper portion of such trigger which carries the coupling pin over, so that it can drop vertically and enter the draw head and have its lower end pass into the hole D.

The coupling of cars with this construction of coupler is not attended with any danger, as the link is held horizontal by the head 0, and the coupling pins are dropped automatically by the entrance of the coupling link into the draw head through the engagement of the link with the dropping arm or trigger, so that the operation of coupling is entirely automatic, and the operator need not pass between the cars to make the coupling, as the entering of the link held in the draw head into the draw head of the standing car must be had when the cars come together, and no guiding of the link is necessary, as the link will be held in its horizontal position, and so as to enter the companion or coacting draw head by the trip arm or trigger through the 9 5 engagement of the contact face 0 of the head C. The coupling pin withdrawn and set inclined should be the one of the standing car, and the couplinglink should be carried horizontally by the moving car, and this can be had in cutting a train to make a coupling, by removing the coupling pin from the car to be left standing, and not disturbing the coupling pin on the last car of the section of the train to be moved, which will keep the coupr05 ling link in position and held horizontal so as to make a coupling on to a standing car, without setting the link. The coupling link, if not on the moving car, can be attached thereto by withdrawing the coupling pin, 1 1o setting it inclined, to project the end?) of the trip arm or trigger forward,inserting the end of the coupling link into the draw head to strike or engage the end 11, which carries such end back, and carries the upper portion b forward, raising the coupling pin to drop through the link and draw head, and when inserted the link will be held horizontal by the end face cof the trip arm or trigger head 0, and in making up trains, when the mov- 12o ing car does not have the coupling link thereon, such link can be placed in position when ithe cars are far apart, and the pin set inclined on the standing car, and no further attention is required, as the link is held hori- 12 5 zontal, to enter the draw head of the standing car, and complete the coupling by dropping the coupling pin of such car through 1 the trip arm or trigger, making the coupling automatic.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In a car coupler the combination with a draw head having a slot to receive a trip arm, 5 a recess to receive a coupling link, and a recess to receive the end of a coupling pin, of the trip arm having an end adapted to be engaged bya coupling link, an upper portion formed with a groove to receive a coupling pin and a grooved head formed with an end IO face to abut against the end of the coupling link when the same is inserted in the draw head, substantially as described.

FREDERICK W. VOERDE.

Witnesses:

GEO. F. JASPER, F. W. MEYER. 

